Stopping device for looms or the like



Dec. 12, 1933. E. 0. SMITH ET AL 1,939,419

STOPPING DEVICE FOR LOOMS OR THE LIKE Filed May 9. 1933 'I/II III/II/IIIIIIIII Patented Dec. 12, 1 933 uNrrED STATES s'rorrmo DEVICE FORLOOMS on THE Edwin C. Smith, Providence, and Walter J Mc- Laughlin, Pawtucket, R.'I., assignors to Rhode Island Warp Stop'Equipment Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application May 9,1933. Serial No. 670,088 1o Claims. (o1. 192-125) This invention relates to improvements in automatic stopping devices for looms and other apparatus and particularly to a'device of substan tially the same type. asthat shown and described in a separate application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 617,308, filed June 15, 1932. The purpose of this invention is toprovide a simple and efiicientdevice of the type specified which is more compact in structure with a minimum number of operating. parts required.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved stopping device; j

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional .view through the de-. vice taken on line'2-2 of Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 is an end view, thereof with the casing partly broken away to illustrate the-enclosed parts.

The improvedstopping device which is herein designated by thereference character A comprises a casing 1. for supporting thevarious operating elements, a driving lever 4, a driven or knock-off lever 5,. means for coupling the two levers together and means-for operating and coupling means. The casing 1 may besuitably secured to the'frame of the loom .or other apparatus,.not

herein shown, in close proximity to acontinually rotating shaft 3 carrying a cam 2. The cam2 constitutes the source of power for operating a knockoil lever 5 through connections to be "later described. A knock-cit rod 6 connected'to the knock-oif lever 5 transmits the movement imparted t0 the lever 5 to themanually-operated starting and stopping elements of the apparatus.

The driving lever 4and driven lever. 5 are pivotally mounted on studs 7 1and'8, respectively, which may be formed integral, with the casing 1 or suitably secured thereto 'withtheir axes in or near the same horizontal plane. The drivinglever 4 is provided with; a follower-arm loxwhich projects from the casing 1 to overliethe-rotating cam 2. The lever 4 is also provided with a'depending arm 11. formed with a detent-shoulder 12 and a driving shoulder or joint vl3. .The follower-arm 10 is normally withheld from contact with the cam 2 by means of a detent-IeVer-ZO. to be later described, which engages the detentshoulder 12 to prevent the arm 10.from falling uponthecam2. The knock-ofilever' 5 is formed with a depending-arm 15 carrying a pivot-pin 16 at itslower end. Projecting outwardly from the hub portion of the lever 5 is asecond pin 17 to which is pivoted anauxiliary-lever-or'link 18, seeFigkB. The lower end of thelink 18 carries a pin 19 upon which the end of the'detent-lever 20' is pivotally mounted. The detent lever 20 curves upwardly from the pivot-pin l9 and its free end is provided with a detent-portion or nose 21 adapted to be positioned behind the detent-shoulderlZof the driving lever 4 to maintain the follower-arm 10 in elevated position as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the inner side'of the casing l by means of screws 22 is an electrically controlled magnet 23 provided with a vertically slidable plunger 24; To the bottom of the plunger 24-is secured a U-shaped lifter-member 25 carrying a cross-pin 26. The detent-lever 20 is positioned between the sides of. the lifter-members 25 with the cross-pin 26'extending through an-elongated slot 1 27' in the lever, see Fig. 1. The lever 20 is thus supported in proper position to normally engage the shoulder 12 on the driving lever 4 but adapted to be lifted away therefrom when the magnet 23 is energized and its plunger 24 is slid'upward- 1y. Pivotally mounted on the pin 16 carried by the arm 15 of the knock-off lever 5 is a connecting link 30.- The pin 16 extendsthrough a slot 31 in the weighted end of the link whereby the end of the lever 30 may move in a vertical path. Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the lever 20 and link 30 are positioned side by side to prevent lateral displacement of either member In addition to being mountedatone end on the pin 16' the connecting link 30 is supported midway of its length by the bottom-of the lifter-member 25 upon which it rests. The free endof the link 30 isprovided with a hook 32 which is adapted to be engaged by the shoulder 13 on the driving lever 4 when the latter is actuated by the cam 2 in the manner and for a purpose as later more fullyexplained. j

When the various parts are in normal or running position as illustrated in Fig. 1 the weight of thefollower-arm l0 acts to swing the detentlever 20 and its supporting link'18 in a contraclockwise direction. The casing 1 is provided with an inwardly projecting pad or abutment 33 which serves as a stop to limit the movement in the direction indicated. The pad 33 also limits thecontraclockwise rotation of the knock-off lever 5 as shown in Fig. 1. Projecting forwardlyfrom the casing is a lug 34 which carries an adjustable stop-screw 35 'which' serves to limit the clockwise rotation of the link 18 for a purpose as later explained; r

The magnet 23 is connected in an electrical circuit 3'1 which'derives its energy from a suit- 110 able source such as a battery 38. One side of the circuit terminates in the blade 39 of a contact-bar E while the other side terminates in the body 40 of said bar. The two parts 39 and 40 aresuitably insulated from each other in the usual manner. A switch 41 in the circuit'acts to energize the circuit when the apparatus is in operation and to deenergize the circuit when the operation is arrested. A dog 42 carried on the knock-off rod 6 may serve to automatically op crate the switch 41. The circuit is herein shown, as controlled by one of a series of drop-wires 43' usually employed in automatic looms. The dropwires 43 are normally held. in raised position by the warp-threads in a manner well known .to. those versed in the art. The method of operation of the complete device is as nextiexplained- Assuming that the loom or other apparatus is in operation the parts of the device will be positioned as illustrated by the full lines iii Fig. 1 and-will remain in this position until a warpthread breaks. When the strand breaks the dropwire 43 willdrop to close the electrical circuit through engagement with the two parts 39'and 40 of the contact-bar E. In this manner the magnet 23 is energized and its plunger 24 and the lifter member 25 will be drawn upwardly. Q

As the member 25 is raised it lifts the detentlever 20 and connecting link into the positions indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Raising the detent-lever 20 removes its detent-end 21 from the shoulder 12 of the driving lever lwhereby the follower-arm 10 of the latter falls upon the cam 2 vto be actuated thereby. During the descent of the arm 10 the depending arm 11 is swung in a contraclockwise direction and a shelf or bearing surface formed on the arm 11 slides under the free end of the detent-lever 20 to maintain the latter in its raised'position and at the s me time hold the hooked end32 of the link 30 elevated even though the electrical current be shut oil? for any reason. As the arm 11 swings in a contraclockwise direction its drivinglshoulder '13 rides over the hooked end 32 of the link 30 whereby the two members are coupled together'as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

. As before explained the cam 2 is rotated continuously when the apparatus is in operation and during its rotation cams the follower-arm .10 upwardly. The arm 11 is thus swung in a clock wise direction asviewed in Fig. 1 and the link 30 pulled in the direction of the arrow 1 As before explained the link is connected to the arml5 of the knock-off lever 5 and thusthe arm is rotated in a clockwise direction to carry the link 18 against the stop-screw 35. Continued movement of the driving lever 4 causes the bottom of the link 18 to move in a contraclockwise;direction or in a direction opposite to the direction of-movement of the arm 11. The separation of the link 18 and arm 11 in this manneractsto withdraw the detent-end 21 of the lever 20 in the direction of the arrow 0 so that it passes over and fallsbehind the detent-shoulder 12 of the driving arm 11 During the'sliding movement of the connecting link 30 the knock-off lever- 5 is rotated and the rod 6 movedtoward the right whereby to open the electrical switch 41 and'circuitli'l and simultaneously disconnect thedriving clutchon shift the driving belt of the machine as the case the rod 6 toward the left the knock-off lever 5 is rotated in a contraclockwise' direction. The link 18 thus brings up against the abutment 33 on the casing 1 and is caused to swing in a clockwise direction to push the end 21 of the detentlever 20 against the shoulder 12 on the driving lever 4. In this manner the follower-arm 10 is raised away from the cam to the position illustrated in Fig.1 where it remains until the circuit is again closed by the drop-wire 43 or any other circuit-closing device such as an electric feeler or detector.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides a particularly simple and efficient device for the purpose specified. The device is compact in size with a minimum number of parts employed. With the use 01' a device of the present improved type the j machinetowhich it is applied is quickly and posi- 'the'driving leverbut normally disengaged therefrom by a detent interposedthrustwise between the twov levers 'to maintain them-apart and prevent movement of the driving lever, means for mounting the detent on the driven lever to permit it to move with respect thereto, means for converting movement in' one direction by the driven lever into movement in the opposite direction by the detent, means to concurrently raise the detent and hookto releasethe driving lever to engage the hook, and means to actuate the released driving. arm to. move the hook' and through it the driven lever. r

2 In a stopping apparatus, the combination with a driven arm, a driving arm, a hook through which the driven arm is moved by the driving arm, said hook being normally'disengaged from the drivingarm, and means to actuate the driving armyoi aI retent interposed thrustwise between the two arms to withhold the driving arm from actuation, means to mount the detent on the driven arm, meansto concurrently move the detent to release the driving arm and move the hook to engage the driving arm, and abutments encountered'by said detent mounting means and acting thereon to move the detent to retrieve the driving arm at one swing of the driven arm,

and to remove the driving arm from action of its actuating means with opposite swing of said driven arm.

3.-In a stopping apparatus, the combination witha driving'arm and a'driven arm, of a detent mounted'by one end on onearm, said detent extending to and thrustwise against the other arm to keep the two arms separated, means to mount said detent, a hook mounted on one arm and normally out of engagement with the other arm,'means to mount said hook, a'magnet for moving the detent and hook, discontinuing the separation of the two arms and permitting one arm to' approach'the other and concurrently bringing the hook into position for engagement by the arm on'which it is not mounted, connections between the magnet and detent and hook, -means,,,to actuate. the driving: armfto encounter and engage said hook and through it to operate the driven arm, and means to energize said magnet.

4. In a stopping apparatus, the combination with a driven arm and a driving arm, bearings for said arms disposed in substantially the same plane, a magnet, means to mount said magnet between the bearings, a thrust detent between the arms to separate them situated below the bearings and magnet, coupling connections to transmit the movement of one arm to the other, means through which the magnet moves the detent and coupling concurrentlyto discontinue separation of the arms and place the coupling in position for connecting the two arms, of a cam to operate the driven arm through the driving arm and coupling connections, and means to energize the magnet.

5. In a stopping apparatus, the combination with a driven arm and a driving arm, bearings for said arms disposed in substantially the same plane, a magnet, means to mount said magnet between the bearings, a thrust detent between the arms to separate them and situated below the bearingsand magnet, a coupling to transmit the movement of one arm to the other but normally disengaged, connections through which the magnet moves the detent and coupling concurrently to discontinue separation of the arms and to place the coupling in position for connecting the two arms, of means to operate the driven arm through the driving arm and coupling, and means to restore the detent between the arms to separate them after such operation.

6. In a stopping apparatus, the combination with a driving arm, a cam to actuate the driving arm, a driven arm and means to couple the two arms, of an auxiliary lever on one arm adapted to swing thereon, and opposed abutments adjacent to opposite sides of said auxiliary lever to confine the movement of said auxiliary lever and compel its free end to swing in a direction opposite to the direction of swing of its supporting arm, a detent extending from the auxiliary lever to and against the other arm to withhold the driving arm from actuation; a magnet to disengage the detent, releasing the driving arm and yielding it to the actuation of the cam and ing lever, connections to couple said levers for movement together and means to operate the coupled levers, of a detent acting thrustwise between the two levers to maintain the driving lever away from said operating means, a suspension member to uphold and control the position of said detent and coupling connections, a magnet to move said suspension means to disconnect the detent from the driving lever and yield it to said driving means and to engage the two levers through the coupling connections, and an electrical circuit to energize the said magnet.

'8. In an automatic stopping device, the combination with a driven lever, a driving lever, connections to couple saidlevers, a cam to actuate the two coupled levers through said driving lever, of a detent acting thrustwise to hold the driving lever away from the cam, means to mount said detent on the driven lever, means to withdraw the detent from its thrustwise action to release the driving lever to the operation of the lever actuating means, and a shaft to turn the cam.

9. Inan automatic stop device, the combination with a driven lever, a driving lever formed with a detent-shoulder 12 and an adjacent bearing surface 45, said levers being normally uncoupled, coupling means for said levers and means to operate the levers when coupled, of a detent normally acting thrustwise on the shoulder 12 of said driving lever to withhold saidlever from engaging its operating means, a connection joining the detent to the coupling means,

a magnet to move said connecting means and concurrently lift the detent from the shoulder 12 and lift the coupling means into position for coupling the two levers, thereby releasing the driving lever to bring its bearing surface under the detent to hold the latter in raised position with the conjoined coupling means uplifted to insure coupling of the two levers.

10. In a stopping apparatus, the combination with a driven arm, a driving arm, a hook through which the driven arm is moved by the driving armysaid hook being normally disengaged from the driving arm and a cam to actuate the driving arm, of a detent interposed thrustwise between the two arms to withhold the driving arm from the cam, means to mount the detent on the driven arm, means to concurrently move the detent to release the driving arm, abutments encountered by said detent mounting means and acting thereon to move the detent to retrieve the driving arm at one swing of the driven arm and to remove said driving arm from the action of the cam with the opposite swing of said driven arm, and means to adjust the distance between said abutments.

EDWIN C. SMITH. WALTER J. McLAUGHLIN. 

